The 51st Ripon Almond Festival started Thursday and continues through Sunday at multiple locations throughout the town.

"We have a diaper derby. Basically, it's crawlers ages 12 months and younger," Vicky Eddy, executive director of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce, said of today's baby race in the Ripon Abeyta-Hortin Gym. "They can win prizes, a trophy, and a diaper cake. They do heats of about 10 babies at a time. There will probably be 100 babies total in the event. They have bumpers set up. It's really cute."

The diaper derby takes place at 10 a.m. today and is sponsored by a local moms club.

There's also a parade today at 1 p.m. in downtown Ripon and a carnival at Mistlin Sports Park.

Today's fun kicks off with a Grange Hall Pancake Breakfast at 6 a.m. and ends at midnight when the Quarterback Club Dance wraps up. Sunday, the festival starts at 8 a.m. with a VFW Breakfast and concludes when the carnival closes up at 5 p.m.

Many of the festival's events take place at Mistlin Sports Park, North Ripon Road and River Road in Ripon. For a complete schedule and location of all the festival's events, go online to visitstockton.org and check the blossom festival on the events calendar or check out the Ripon Chamber of Commerce at riponchamber.org.